


Consent and Biology

by Reyka_Sivao



Series: Piperverse Standalones [7]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek - Various Authors
Genre: Angst, F/M, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Pon Farr, Pon farr makes things complicated, Vulcan Biology, discussion of consent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29567826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reyka_Sivao/pseuds/Reyka_Sivao
Summary: A side scene with Merete and Sarda. Fits somewhere near the end of Threshold...sort of, I cut it for timeline wonkiness among other things.Merete explains something about consent that Sarda hadn’t considered.
Relationships: Piper/Sarda (Star Trek)
Series: Piperverse Standalones [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171973
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	Consent and Biology

Sarda stepped gingerly into the ship’s tiny sickbay. 

Merete looked up. 

Her placidity was almost Vulcan, which was reassuring in a way. But at the same time, there was so much she could be thinking. 

“Sarda,” she greeted softly. “Come in.”

Sarda stepped just inside the door, and then found he didn’t know where to direct his feet. 

Merete looked at him for a long, uncomfortable moment. 

“Computer, privacy lock,” she said finally. “I assume you wished to speak to me?”

Sarda forced away the tension in his throat. “I did.”

“Of course,” said Merete, and gestured for him to sit across from her. “What did you wish to speak to me about?”

It was so neutral. So professional.

“I believe...that Piper has already informed you.”

Merete was silent for a long moment. 

“What was said then is between her and me. Anything you say now is between you and me.”

Sarda bowed his head. She was not going to let this be easy, was she?

He considered for a moment. 

“You…cannot inform me. I understand. I simply…”

His throat closed and he had to try again. 

“...I did not wish to hurt her. I do not wish to hurt her now. I only wish…” 

He took a deep breath. 

“I only wish to know if I will still hurt her now.”

Merete looked at him with a frown in her eyes. 

He looked away. 

“...is it done,” he whispered, barely audibly. “Is it over. Or do I...do I need to seclude myself before I cause more harm.”

Merete gave him a long, searching gaze. 

“Lie down,” she said, gesturing at the sickbay’s small bed and picking up her tricorder. “I assume you would prefer not to be touched.”

“...if you can avoid it,” Sarda murmured, but obediently lay down and let her begin the scan. He tried not to clench his hands, and when that failed, he tried not to think about the fact that he was clenching them. 

Three solid beeps signaled the end of the scanning cycle. Sarda opened his eyes, and merete gestured for him to sit up. 

Once he had done so, she looked at her scanner, and then at him. 

“As far as I can tell,” she said, “the worst has passed. Every measure I can read is improving. It may be another days before the last signs have dissipated, but...I have no reason to believe that you will pose any sort of danger before then.”

Sarda let out a breath that was half relief and half….something.

“You are not entirely pleased?” said Merete. 

Sarda clenched the edge of the bed until it threatened to rip, trying to control the surge of emotion at Merete’s far too prescient question. 

“I do not wish to cause further harm.”

“Then what do you wish?”

Merete looked at him and he did not answer. 

“Not the possibility of harm, no,” she said softly. “You asked if you should lock yourself away. Is that it? Did you want me to give you a reason to hide from what has happened?”

“I did not WANT this!”

The outburst came before Sarda could stop it. He pulled back, ashamed. “Forgive me. I...I did not want this. It would have been better...if we had been kept apart.”

Merete gave him another long searching look, and then nodded.

“She doesn’t blame you,” she said, very softly. “I didn’t understand at first.” She looked out out of the side of her eyes. “I can only hear you,” she said. “If she was there and feels the same, I think you should believe her.”

Sarda looked away. 

“She wants…” he started, but even he could barely hear it. “She wants to find a healer. She wants to repair the bond that I imposed on her. She wants...to remain with me. Even through...this.”

“And you think she is wrong?”

“I do not wish to hurt her.”

“I do not doubt that. But perhaps it may benefit you to reassess your concept of what it is to  _ harm _ someone.”

Sarda looked up. “I do not understand.”

Merete folded her hands in her lap. “Objective pain is certainly one way to assess harm,” she said, “but I believe you are ignoring a far more important factor.”

“What could be more important?”

“Consent.”

Sarda frowned. “Clarify.”

Merete nodded slowly. “What had been described to me has every potential to be an incredibly traumatic incident. Being forced to engage in physical intimacy in life-or-death stakes can absolutely cause deep and abiding trauma.”

“...then how can you say I did not hurt her?”

Merete looked at him sadly. “Because it was not her who was forced into that scenario.”

“I do not understand.”

“From what I have been told—the moment she understood, she was willing. While circumstances were not ideal, her  _ consent _ was real and deeply felt.”

Sarda frowned, but did not respond. 

“So when I say that trauma can come from being forced into intimacy—I do not mean her. I mean  _ you.” _

“I do not—how could you mean me? I was the  _ aggressor. _ ”

“Were you?” said Merete, even more softly. “Was it really you? Or was it something controlling you that overpowered your efforts to fight it?”

Sarda’s breath stopped. It took a long moment before he gasped and tried again. 

“I….but I...but it was...it was my own biology.”

“Biology is not destiny. You didn’t want this. You tried to stop it. You tried to avoid it. You’ve made that more than clear.” Merete smiled a little. “If you want my medical advice—then whatever grace she allows you, I think you should accept. If not for yourself, then for her. Let her give you that much.”

Sarda was silent for a long moment. 

“If you are certain I will not present any further danger, then I will take my leave.” He rose and turned, but paused long enough to nod in her direction. “...thank you, doctor.”


End file.
